STUDIOS GUIDEby Karen Morris, updated 21/1/16

STUDIO, ABLETON AND MIXER CHECKLIST

TASKS PAGE COMPLETED / LEARNT (tick box)

1. Health and safety (Basic) 2

2. Switch on and off (Basic) 2

3. MIDI (Basic) 3

4. Ableton Save and Export (Basic) 3

5. Ableton Short Cuts (Basic) 4

6. Ableton View Short Cuts 4

7. Ableton loop MIDI drums 5

8. Other Ableton Functions 5

9. Mixing Desk 6

10. Condensor vs Dynamic Microphones 8

11. Adding Microphones to the Computer 9

12. Adding Microphones to the Computer 10

13. Creating a Headphone Aux Mix to Live Room 11

14. Frequencies (EQ) 12

15. Useful Terms / Glossary 13

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1. HEALTH AND SAFETY (Basic)

Food and drink: Don’t place near electrics.

Plugs: Don’t put too many plugs in one socket.

Microphones: Don’t tap or bang microphone – instead use voice to sound check. Don’t bang down microphone box lids. Avoid dust, smoke, humidity and cold.

Heavy lifting: Do not lift heavy objects.

Cables: Make sure there is no risk of tripping over cables or other items.

Alcohol and drugs: Forbidden.

Children (under 18): Must be supervised by an adult or carer.

Computer/desk: Sit correctly to avoid injuries such as repetitive strain.

Copyright: Do not make illegal copies of software.

Instruments and equipment: Do not damage instruments and other equipment.

Loud sounds: Protect your ears and equipment/speakers from loud sounds:

Cabling and listening levels: Make sure it is less than the peak limit (ideally in the middle).

2. SWITCHING ON / OFF (Basic)

Sound card: Turn on sound card before computer if it is external e.g. in MIDI or stack.

Off: Make sure all equipment is switched off and put away.

Speakers: Turn on speakers last (a.k.a. monitors) and switch off first. This is to protect speakers from loud sounds.

Lock up: Lock valuables away and studio using keys.

Cables: Put cables away by folding and tying them in a knot - ask a trained volunteer or employee to show you how.

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3. MIDI (Basic)

Stands for “Music Instrument Digital Interface”.

It is a standard for connecting together digital electronic musical instruments.

A digital language (like a patch bay or old-fashioned telephone operator) that allows you to access pre-programmed sounds.

For example, how to use MIDI keyboard:

1. Switch computer and equipment on2. Open Ableton Live3. Ableton: FILE – NEW LIVE SET4. Ableton: FILE – SAVE LIVE SET AS… - choose a name to save it (under your own folder

name)

(if already switched on, start here)

5. Ableton: CREATE – INSERT AUDIO TRACK (or right click mouse)6. Ableton: CREATE – INSERT MIDI TRACK7. Ableton: LIVE DEVICES – choose instrument from list – drag & drop inside the midi

channel

4. ABLETON SAVE AND EXPORT (Basic)

Always back up your work on CD or memory stick. Especially if on a public computer.

1. Save project.2. Save in a folder with your own name on the external hard drive (not on desktop).3. Frequently save as you are editing.4. Collect all and save.5. Export.6. FOR MEMORY STICK: 24 bit.7. FOR CD: 16 bit and 44khz.8. Burn audio CD.

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5. ABLETON SHORT CUTS (Basic)

Full screen F11Session / arrangement view TabSave Ctrl SSelect All Ctrl ACut Ctrl XCopy Ctrl CPaste Ctrl VDuplicate Ctrl DUndo Ctrl ZRedo Ctrl YNew audio track Ctrl TNew MIDI track Ctrl Shirt TRename Ctrl RLoop Ctrl LSplit Clip Ctrl EMIDI map Ctrl MKey map Ctrl KRecord and play / Stop Space barFollow Ctrl FConsolidate Ctrl JZoom In +Zoom Out -

https://www.ableton.com/en/help/live/

6. ABLETON VIEW SHORT CUTS

Short cuts on right (Or go to VIEW instead)

I-0 External in and out, drop down menus S SendsR ReturnsM Volume and soloD DelayX Pan, left middle right

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7. ABLETON MIDI DRUMS LOOP1. Switch computer and equipment on2. Open Ableton Live3. Ableton: FILE – NEW LIVE SET4. Ableton: FILE – SAVE LIVE SET AS… - choose a name to save it (under your own folder name)

(if already switched on, start here)

5. Ableton: CREATE – INSERT AUDIO TRACK (or right click mouse)6. Ableton: CREATE – INSERT MIDI TRACK7. Ableton: name it “DRUMS”8. Ableton: GLOBAL QUANTIZE – 1 BAR (or right click mouse)9. Ableton: LIVE DEVICES – choose instrument

Or Ableton: MIDI MAP MODE (Ctrl M) – click the clip’s slot – tap MIDI keyboard – exit MIDI MAP MODE

10. Ableton: EDIT – RECORD QUANTIZATION – e.g. SIXTEENTH NOTE QUANT11. Ableton: RECORD AND PLAY12. Ableton: to loop when finished, tap pedal/button once again (SPACE BAR?)

8. OTHER ABLETON FUNCTIONS

Panning Automation (options-draw mode. or

PEN icon; right click-show animation) EQs and Ableton Mixer Plug-ins e.g. Gigmate, Ozone 4 Reason Signature change Group Freeze Track Consolidate Flatten Export audio; Export MIDI clip Video scenes: capture, insert

(see magazine manual in Studio 1) DJing with extras Warping Resonators Multiband Vocoding Sound mangling Live API programming Modulation Envelopes Reverse reverb and gating Basic breakbeat slicing

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9. MIXING DESK

LIVE ROOM – The room with the live sound i.e. the musicians playing.

CONTROL ROOM – The room that the sound engineer, mixing desk and computer are in (if it is in a different room).

E.g. Soundcraft 6000.

Up to down All channels (strips) are identical to look at: -

GAIN (level of sound coming IN) 48k (phantom power – ON for condenser mics) LINE (electronic instruments that plug in directly but mics or acoustic). EQs (frequencies and tonal balance of a signal – like the tone controls on a Hi-Fi) AUX (via the desk on the right e.g. plug-in’s, foldback, effects, etc) PAN (balance of sound: left to right) ON (switch it on) MUTE (silence) SOLO (this channel only - every other is off) MIX VOLUME PRESS IT ON (level of sound going OUT)

From left to right:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8COMP OUTMASTER Computer ALL sounds going out (stereo l/r)

COMP OUTComputer sounds going out.Individual channels.

LIVE IN Live studio sounds coming in. Individual channels.

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Right hand side:

AUX 1

AFL

OSC LEVELTurner10K (700/10K)

AUX 2

AFL

TALKBACK (only works when music sent to headphones e.g. aux.) (to use hold down button to speak to ‘live room’ i.e. where musicians playing)TurnerON

AUX 3

AFL

STUDIO SPEAKERS (ON button)STUDIO LEVEL (Turner main volume)CONTROL ROOM (Turner)

AUX 4

AFL

MNO

AUX 5

AFL

DIM Afl/Pfl (fade)

AUX 6

AFL

TX UP, REH DOWN Solo in placeMUTE BUS (ON)Faders (i.e. up and down)

TICK LIST

__ PFL, AFL, Solo and Metering

__ Pan control

__ Routing switches and input channel fader

__ Main fader and stereo output

__ Master section monitoring options

__ Control Room monitor

__ 48v Phantom power

__ EQ section

__ Setting up a headphone mix with aux sends

__ Direct outputs and Sub groups 1-4

__ Setting record levels

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10.DYNAMIC v CONDENSOR MICROPHONES

DYNAMIC CONDENSORCommon microphone for general use e.g. SM57, SM58.

Old fashioned mic that use a capacitor to convert acoustical energy to electrical.

More robust.Good for lounder sounds.

More sensitive, fragile, longer distance.Good for voice, flute, quieter sounds.Need phantom power i.e. battery or external power source.

Good for hand held, microphone or static. Not good for hand held as more sensitive so pick up all sounds e.g. movement.

Has uneven frequency response which favours the mid-range.A less dynamic ability, with a ‘softer’ top end than capacitor or electret mics.Cheaper. More expensive.

Limited to one polar pattern. Different polar patterns, see below.

POLAR PATTERNS Microphone (condenser, capacitor or electret)

Omnidirectional – Taking sound from all around. Cardiod (aka Unidirectional) – Taking sound in a heart shape. Hypercardoid (aka Supercardiod) – Has small sensitivity around back i.e. picks up

sound from back so bad for feedback and singing. Bidirectional (aka figure of eight) – Taking sound from 2 directions.

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11.ADDING MICROPHONES TO THE COMPUTER (Ableton Live)

Computer only in same room as live sound (Basic)

1. Switch on computer and equipment2. Plug a microphone to the computer using a microphone stand and 3 pin cable3. If the microphone is a condenser, press PHANTOM POWER on desk or stack

4. Open Ableton Live on computer5. Ableton: FILE – NEW LIVE SET6. Ableton: FILE – SAVE LIVE SET AS… - choose a name to save it (under your own folder name)7. Ableton: CREATE – INSERT AUDIO TRACK (or right click mouse)8. Albleton: match channel on desk/stack to channel on computer (drop down menu)

1–8 on the stack match 1-8 on the computer

9. Adjust gain IN to make sure volume doesn’t peak (should be in the middle ideally)10. Adjust volume OUT on computer (or desk) to make sure that the volume isn’t too loud so

that the equipment and your ears aren’t damaged.

11. Ableton: Activate channel by pressing box number e.g. 1 and record/play.12. Speakers: If speakers are on whilst recording in same room live, you’ll get feeback.

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12.ADDING MICROPHONES TO THE COMPUTER (Ableton Live)

Mixing desk and computer in Control Room (Advanced)

1. Switch on plugs in computer room (control room) and the computer2. Plug a microphone to the computer via the wall (use mic stand and 3 pin cable)

3. Open Ableton Live on computer4. Ableton: FILE – NEW LIVE SET5. Ableton: FILE – SAVE LIVE SET AS… - choose a name to save it (under your own folder name)6. Ableton: CREATE – INSERT AUDIO TRACK (or right click mouse)7. Albleton: Make sure drop down options are available (the I-0 button on the right of screen,

delete things not using e.g. extra channels, MIDI, returns, mixer desk at bottom)8. Ableton: match channel on desk to channel on computer (drop down menu)

e.g. channel 1 mic on wall:

Computer: EXT IN (external input)e.g. 1 (channel IN)AUTOMASTER (channel 1 out) – 1 IN matches 1 OUT….2 IN matches 2 OUT

9. General mixing desk (Soundcraft 6000) settings on right hand side:

Mixing desk right hand side: STUDIO LEVEL SPEAKER (on, adjust volume)DIM PFL/AFL (on){ignore and turn off everything else at this point}??

10. Adjust gain IN on desk for LIVE ROOM so that the volume isn’t too loud to protect equipment and your earsToo loud and too quiet will also affect the recording and sound quality (in the middle).

Mixing desk: CHANNEL LIVE (1-8) e.g. 1

Phantom power off (unless condenser mic)LINE IN (ON electronic instruments that plug in directly, OFF mics & acoustic)GAIN LEVEL (ideally middle, no peak on screen){Ignore EQs and AUX at this point}FADER VOLUME (switch ON)SOLO (ON to listen to just this channel)

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11. Adjust volume OUT on computer and desk for CONTROL ROOM so that the volume isn’t too loud to protect equipment and your ears.

Computer Ableton: (MASTER) CHANNEL COMPUTER ALTOGETHER STEREO

As above, change bottom drop down menu to MASTER This should automatically be sent to MASTER return on right hand sideSOLO on comp in number in squareHold down CTRL to select multiple

Mixing Desk: Switch on and turn up STUDIO LEVEL volumeUse yellow faders underneath at bottom (middle no peak)

MASTER OUT together is channel 1/2 (L/R) on bottom leftSolo each channelTurn up fader

12. Ableton: Activate channel by pressing box number e.g. 1 and record/play.

13. Adjust volume OUT on computer and desk for CONTROL ROOM to make sure that the volume isn’t too loud so that the equipment and your ears aren’t damaged.

Mixing desk: CHANNEL COMPUTER INDIVIDUAL OUT Same as above but use INDIVIDUAL OUT channel e.g. 1 IN matches 1 OUT

13.CREATING HEADPHONE AUX MIX FOR LIVE ROOM Separate Live Room and Control Room with mix desk (Advanced)

Send all the individual LIVE IN channels you want in the headphones to Aux, This is done by turning up the BLUE dials on the same channel strip higher up, labelled AUX 1 (left) and AUX 2 (right). You want both so that it is stereo.

If you don’t want the vocals or specific part included, don’t include that channel – just send the others to Aux.

This will automatically be sent to the AUX 1 and AUX 2 BLUE dials on the right. Turn these dials up to the correct level you want.

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14. FREQUENCIES (EQ)

SUBSONIC – 1-20 hz4 octaves. Not heard but felt as a vibration.

VERY LOW BASS 20-40 hz1 octave. Heard but not perceived as pitch. Sub-bass units.Give music a sense of power but if over emphasised can make things muddy.

BASS FREQUENCY 40-160 hz2 octaves. Heard.Too much makes an excessive boom sound.

LOW MID RANGE 160-315 hz1 octave. Heard.Hard sounds that sound hard on their own. The main problem range in a lot of mixes.Too much takes away power but too little removes warmth.

MID RANGE 315-2,500 hzApprox 3 octaves. Heard. Most sounds are here.400-1000 Most important when trying to control shape to a natural sound. The ‘voice’ of an instrument is in the mids. To much can sound horn like.

HI MID RANGE (aka presence range) 2,500-5000 hz1 octave – the range that the human ear are most sensitive too.

HIGH FREQUENCY 5,000-10,000 hz 1 octave – highest fundamental frequencies, mostly harmonics.

VERY HIGH FREQUENCY 10,000-20,000 hz1 octave – pure harmonics very low acoustic energy.

Drums: Kick drum 200-400 hz; Snare drum 150hz +; Toms 300-800 hz; Floor Toms 100 hz +. 120 low/bass; 500 mid; 1200 symbol, 400-1,000 hz hi hat; 5000-20000 hiss sound.

Strings etc: 300-500 fundamentals string and percussion; 400-1000 harmonics strings, keyboard, percussion).

Bass Guitar: 150-800 hz

Guitar, Piano etc: 400-800 hz mids; 1000-5000 hz upper mids.

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15. USEFUL TERMS / GLOSSARY(might not apply to all desks)LIVE ROOM – The room with the live sound i.e. the musicians playing.

CONTROL ROOM – The room that the sound engineer, mixing desk and computer are in (if it is in a different room).

AFL – After-fade listen. A signal taken after the main channel fader on consoles and mixers. This signal point allows the operator to listen after the main fader level. Also called post fade listen.

ATTACK – How long a compressor takes to pull the gain down, once the input signal has reached or exceeded the Threshold level.

AUTO ATTACK/RELEASE – Some compressors have an Auto mode, which adjusts the attack and release characteristics during operation to suit the dynamics of the music being processed.

CABs – i.e. speakers (aka monitors).

DOUBLE FREQUENCY – One sound wave on top of the other. Then moves them out of synchronicity with each other – it cancels the frequency (Phase Cancellation). Be careful as can be bad e.g. if 2 mics on drums.

FEEDBACK – An unwanted howling noise that is made when a signal becomes trapped in a loop.

FOLDBACK – When the artist listens to their recorded part, through headphones or speakers (monitors).

GRAPHIC EQUALISERS – These allow you to affect a large number of bands simultaneously giving you greater flexibility in contouring the sound. They use peak/dip curves with fixed Q.

HARD KNEE – This is not a control or parameter but a characteristic of some compressors (depending upon model). As soon as a signal reaches the Threshold, the full quota of gain reduction is thrown at it.

HIGH PASS FILTER (HPF) – Takes away the lowest frequency (deepest e.g. 50 Hz). Good to get rid of pop noises when singing “P” and maybe foot tapping noises.

HOLD TIME – A Compressor’s side chain follows the envelope of the signal being fed into it, but if the attack and release times are set to their fastest positions, it is likely that the compressor will attempt to respond not to the envelope of the input signal but to the individual cycles of the input waveform…

LOW PASS FILTER (LPF) – These are not as useful as high pass filters because high frequencies do not carry physically as far as bass frequencies. They could be used on instruments which strongly feature bass frequencies e.g. kick drum to cut out hi hats, cymbals.

METERING – One of the most confusing and complex areas of sound recording as there is lots of variation. Metering allows you to set the optimum level (peak limit) much quicker and easier.

NEARFIELD MONITORS – Closer to the person than the main monitors so that you can compare the sounds through different speakers.

NOTCH FILTER – An EQ curve with a maximum cut (10dB or more) and minimum bandwidth (0.1 of an octave or less). They are used to cut out unwanted signals without affecting the frequencies around them e.g. removing sibilance (distorted S and T noise).

OVERDUB – When an artist records their port whilst listening to other recorded parts.

PAD – When pressed this reduces the level of a mic input (usually by 10dB or 20dB). This is to prevent overload from high sound pressures (SPLs) such as when he mic is placed inside the kick drum. The Pad

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does not affect the level of a line output as most line signals devices (e.g. a keyboard) have their own output level controls.

PATCH BAY – Has patch leads which connect different devices, inputs and outputs.

PEAK/RMS OPERATION – Every compressor uses a circuit known as a side chain and the side chain’s job in life is to measure how big the signal is, so that it knows when it needs compressing. This information is then used to control the gain circuit, which may be based around a VCA (Voltage Controlled Amp), a FET (Field Effect Transistor) or even a valve. The compressor will behave differently depending on whether the side chain responds to average signal levels or to absolute signal peaks.

PFL – Pre-fade listen i.e. solo so you only here that channel/sound.

PHASER – slight delay in time to prevent overlap from different sounds.

QUANTIZE- Rounding up to an even digital digit.

RATIO – When the input signal exceeds the Threshold set by the operator, gain reduction is applied, but the actual amount of gain reduction depends on the ‘ratio’ setting. This means the output level is never allowed to rise above the Threshold setting.

RELEASE – This sets how long it takes for the compressor’s gain to come back up to normal once the input signal has fallen back below the Threshold.

REV (Reverse) – More commonly referred to as the flip switch. This control swaps the channel and monitor signal paths with each other just after the input stage.

SIBILANCE – Distorted S and T noise.

SOFT KNEE – The opposite of above.

SPLIT IN LINE – On mixing desk means it can be either line or mic/tape return.

STEREO – Two tracks or channels, left and right.

STEREO LINK – When processing stereo signals, it is important that both channels are treated equally, for the stereo image will wander if one channel receives more compression than the other.

Swaps sound around from being on fader or being mixed ‘B’.

This is usually represented by the symbol 0 with a line through it. When this button is pressed, the signal in that channel is flipped 180 out of phase.

THRESHOLD – Predetermining the level which the sound becomes unacceptable.

TRANSDUCER – A device that transforms / converts energy into another form of energy e.g. electric energy to acoustic energy. For example, microphones and speakers (monitors).

TUNING FOR DRUMS – Snare G; Bass C; Toms C and G; Floor Tom G.

For more glossary terms go to: http://lossenderosstudio.com/glossary.php

Ref: Blue Sci, SSR, BBC, 3sixtymedia, Sound on Sound, Ableton.com, Ableton Live Ultimate Guide. Photos: collage from internet.

Do not reproduce without permission, copyright Karen Morris 2015 ©

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